The illustrious surname Roscowe finds its origin in the rocky, sea swept coastal area of southwestern England known as Cornwall. Although surnames were fairly widespread in medieval England, people were originally known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted is extremely interesting. As populations grew, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Lords and their tenants often became known by the name of the feudal territory they owned or lived on. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. This was due to the heavy political and cultural influence of the English upon the Cornish People at the time that surnames first came into use. Local surnames were derived from where a person lived, held land, or was born. While many Cornish surnames of this sort appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames derived from lost or unrecorded place names. The name Roscowe is a local type of surname and the Roscowe family lived in Cornwall. Their name, however, derives from the Old Norse roscowe, meaning roe-buck-wood, and indicates that the original bearer lived near a stand of such timber.

Roscowe Early Origins

The surname Roscowe was first found in Cornwall where they were Lords of the manor of Roscrowe. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. There is some disagreement about the earliest reference of the name as one reference claims the name actually come from Lancashire, where the earliest record is of Gilbert Roscoe, of Exton as recorded in the Wills at Chester in 1293. Continuing in the same register, we also found James Roscoe of Farnworth in 1594 and James Roscow of Leigh in 1594. Roscrowe is an estate in the parish of Gluvias in Cornwall which was held by the family in the 14th century and became extinct during the time of Henry I. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.

Roscowe Spelling Variations

Roscowe Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Roscoe, Roscrowe, Roscrow, Rosecrowe, Roscow and others.

Roscowe Early History

Roscowe Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Roscowe research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Roscowe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Roscowe Early Notables (pre 1700)

Roscowe Early Notables (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Roscowe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Roscowe: William and Rebecca Roscoe who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1635 with their children, Samuel, William, Sarah, and Mary.

Shirley, Evelyn Philip. Noble and Gentle Men of England Or Notes Touching The Arms and Descendants of the Ancient Knightley and Gentle Houses of England Arranged in their Respective Counties 3rd Edition. Westminster: John Bowyer Nichols and Sons, 1866. Print.

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The Roscowe Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Roscowe Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.